Cigar-bunch manipulator.



V. E. HANSEN.

CIGAR BUNCH MANIPULATOR. APPLICATION FILEDAPILS. 1915.

. Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

a/bi'ryame v. E. HANSEN. CIGAR BUNCH MANIPULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. I915;

Patented June 27, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

VICTOR EMILIUS HANSEN, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 INTERNATIONAL CIGAR MACHINERY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CIGAR-BUNCH MANIPULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Julie 2'7, 1916.

Application filed April 8, 1915. Serial No. 20,006.

To all whom it may concern:

sux, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cigar-Bunch Manipulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in cigar bunch manipulators, particularly adaptable for use in cigar making machines.

In making cigars by machinery, a charge of filler tobacco is first measured and rolled within a binder, usually by means of a Chianti belt mechanism, to form a bunch. If the cigar is to be what is known in the art as a fresh bunch cigar, the bunch formed in the Chianti belt mechanism has a wrapper applied thereto very soon after the formation of the bunch and while the tobacco of which the bunch is composed is soft and pliable. The rolling of the filler charge within the binder during the formation of the bunch, however, almost invariably results in compacting the filler within the binder unevenly. It is therefore customary, in cigar machines for making fresh bunch cigars, to introduce a cigar bunch manipulating mechanism which acts upon the bunch after it is,formed in the Chianti belt mechanisin and before it goes to the wrapping mechanism where the wrapper is applied thereto.

Various types of bunch manipulators have been heretofore used, all of which were more or less successful, but none of which have proved capable of manipulating the bunch in a perfect manner.

The principal object of the present invention is the production of a cigar bunch manipulator acting upon a bunch immediately after it is formed in the Chianti belt mechanism or equivalent mechanism, for insuring a more perfect manipulation of the bunch to distribute the filler material evenly throughout the bunch within the binder.

Another object of the invention is the production of a device of this kind which is simple, inexpensive, entirely automatic in action, and not liable to derangement or excessive wear. \Vith these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain constructions and combinations which will be hereinafter fully described and then specifically set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a device constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the device illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. And Fig. t is a fragmentary detail view of means for transporting a cigar llounch away from the cigar bunch manipuator.

In carrying the invention into effect,

there is provided a pair of bunch rolling members having oppositely disposed operating surfaces spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a cigar bunch so that a bunch located between said surfaces will be slightly-squeezed diametrically to move the filler material within thebunch. There is also provided means for producing a relative movement of said members whereby the bunch is rolled between said surfaces to pro gressively alter the diametrical slight compression of the bunch as it rolls along in order to work the compacted portions of the filler material into the space occupied by the relatively loose portions of filler material.

There is further provided a fiuctuant mount.

for one of said members which is adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said surfaces, this mount being so arranged that a varying pressure is applied to the bunch as it rolls between the surfaces to effect a final even distribution of the filler material within the binder. In the best con- Chianti belt cooperating with the table.

This Chianti belt is engaged by a roller 3 carried in adjustable bearings 4 mounted in levers 5', one on either side of the table 1.

This lever carries a bowl 6 tracking on a cam 7 located beneath the table 1, the purpose of this cam 7 and roller 6 being to give the roller 3 an upward movement at the end of the bunch forming operation, to permit the bunch to pass under the roller 3 and to be delivered into a bunch rolling manipulator to be hereinafter described. Other wise, this Chianti belt mechanism is the same as the ordinary Chianti belt mechanism well known in the art; and since the particular construction of the Chianti belt mechanism lies wholly outside of the present I invention, a more complete illustration and description of the same is omitted herefrom in the interest of brevity and clearness.

' Located adjacent the delivery end of the Chianti belt mechanism is a bunch manipulator; and while in some constructions it may be otherwise constructed; as shown, this bunch manipulator includes a constantly rotating drum 8, the surface of which is knurled and provided with one or more depressed channels 9, the function of which will be hereinafter described. The drum 8 is loosely mounted upon a shaft 10 journaled in bearings 1112 formed in uprights 1314 rising from a base 15. Secured to the drum 8 is a pinion 16, by means of which said drum is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. This pinion is in engagement with a gear 17 whichis fast upon a short shaft 18 journaled in a swinging arm 19, this arm being swingable about the axis of the shaft 10. The arm 19 projects beyond the shaft 18, and at its extreme end is provided with an outward bend 20 which is clamped to the upright 14 by means of a clamping screw 21, this screw working in a slot 22 formed in the upright 14. The shaft 18 also carries a sprocket 23 over which runs a chain 24, shown infull in Fig. 2 and indicated by a broken line in Fig. 1. This chain also runs over a sprocket 25, which sprocket is fast on the shaft 10. The shaft 10 also carries a cam 26. The chain 24 derives its motion from any suitable source of motion and the gear 17 derives its motion from the chain. The cam 26 is rotated by the chain 24 in a direction opposite to the direction of the drum 8 and at a slower speed. The arm 19 is made adjust able so that it can be-used to take up any slack there may be in the driving chain 24.

Cooperating with the operating surface of the drum 8 and spaced apart from. said surface a distance less than the diameter of a bunch to be manipulated 1s a segmental cooperating rolling member made in two sections marked 2728, these two sections being hinged together on a pintle 29. This pintle is movable so that the distance between the operating surface of the drum 8 and the operating surface of the cooperating member 2728 may be varied. To permit-of this movement, the pintle 29 is fixed in the ends of arms 30, which arms are tied together by means of a web 31 extending from one to the other. The arms 30 are fast upon a rock shaft 32 adjacent the web 31, and this rock shaft is pivoted on adjustable pivots 33 threaded into the uprights 13 and 14 before referred to. Projecting from the web 31 is an arm 34 carrying an adjusting screw 35. This adjusting screw abuts against a web 36 rising from the base 15 before referred to. By means of the struc- -ture just described, the pintle 29 may be adjusted toward or away from the operating surface of the bunch rolling drum 8'.

The section 27 of the segmental rolling member has a spur 37 through which is threaded an adjusting screw 38 and through which is passed an adjusting bolt 39. The adjusting screw 38 contacts with a boss 40 formed on the section 28, while the bolt 39 is threaded. into said boss. By means of this adjusting screw and bolt, the sections 27 and 28 may be relatively adjusted so that when the pintle 29 is moved away from the drum 8 to provide a larger space between Said drum and the cooperating rolling member, the sections of the member may be relatively adjusted to also provide a larger space between the drum and the extreme ends of said sections in order to maintain the normal concentric relation of the drum and the cooperating segmental rolling member.

It is not desirable that the segmental cooperating member be held in unchanging position with respect to the operating surface of the drum 8. 0n the contrary, it is desirable that it move during the operation of the device, and a fiuctuant mount is pro vided for this purpose. lVhile in some constructions another form of mount may be used; as shown, thisfluctuant mount includes a floating yoke 41 provided with jaws 42 normally engaging the pintle 29 before referred to, and also carrying adjusting screws 43 contacting with bosses 44 and formed respectively on the under side of the sections 27 and 29 before referred to. The yoke 41 is provided with a stem 46, the free end of which is guided in a pocket 47 formed in the base 15. The stem 46 is further provided with a pair of adjusting nuts 48, and between these adjusting nuts and the base 15 is a spring 49 which is coiled around the stem. The thrust of this 1,188,540 I is spring is upwardly and toward the drum 8 so that it normally holds the yoke 41. and the arms 30 in the position shown in Fig. 1, the upward thrust being resisted by the adjusting screw 35 and abutment 36 before described. I

At the delivery end of the section 27 there is located a pair of thin plate springs which are screwed to the section 27 and which project into the space between the extreme end of the section 27 and the drum 8. That portion of the springs 50 lying in the space between the section 27 and the drum 8 is provided with a reentrant bend marked 51. The purpose of this spring is to retain a bunch after it has passed between the drum 8 and the segmental cooperating rolling member 2728.

After a bunch has been manipulated'in the mechanism so far described and delivered to a position just beyond the spring 50, it may be removed from the bunch manipulator, and in the device selected to illustrate the invention mechanism is provided for this purpose. of swinging arms 52, these arms being tied together at one end by. a web 53 and at the other or outer end by a web 5a. The arms are fulcrumed upon a shaft 55 mounted in suitable bearings carried by the uprights 13 and 14 before referred to. The shaft 55 carries a pinion 56 which is in mesh with a sector gear 57 This sector gear is fast upon a short shaft 58 journaled in a boss carried in the uprights 13 and 14, and the shaft also carries a'cam lever 59, which in turn carries a bowl 60 tracking in a cam groove 61 formed in the cam 26 before referred to. By means of this mechanism, the arms 52 are swung from receiving to delivery position. The outer ends of the arms 52 carry a pintle 62, and upon this pintle is clamped a bunch retaining jaw 63. Fixed upon the web 54 are a pair of fingers 64 which are adapted toenterthe grooves 9 in the surface of the drum 8 when the transporting device is in the bunch receiving position.

. The pintle 62 is provided with a short arm 5 which carries a stud 66. This stud engages a suitable slot (37 in an arm 68 fulcrumed on the shaft 55 before referred to.

A retaining spring 69 connects .one of the arms 52 and the arm 68, the function of this spring being to retain the arms 52 and- 68 in position on either side of a center to which they may be thrown; or in other words, to retain the bunch retaining jaw 63 in closed position during one movement, and to retain it in open position during the opposite movement of said arm. On one end of the shaft 55 is fixed a lever 70 carrying two limiting screws 71, one of these screws contacting with a post 72 secured in the upright 13 at one end of the arm movement, and the 1 other screw contacting with the This mechanism includes a pair same post at the other end of the arm movement. A similar lever 73 is formed integrally on the hub of the arm 68 and is provided with limiting screws 74 adapted for contactwith a post 75 secured in the upright 14 before referred to. The levers 70 and 73 are independently adjustable so that at one end of the movement of the arms 52 the lever 68 is stopped before the arms 52 and the bunch retaining jaw is thereby closed; while at the other end of the movement a reverse action takes place so that the bunch retaining jaw 63 is opened and drops the bunch upon a support indicated diagrammatically at 76.

Fig.1 illustrates a bunch about to be introduced between the operating surface of the drum 8 and the segmental cooperating member 2728. By an inspection of this figure, it will be readily understood that when the'Chianti belt 2 is straightened out, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the bunch will be thrown into contact with the operating surface of the drum 8 and will thereby be rolled downwardly between the drum and the section 28. force the upper end of the section .28 radially outward, thus rocking the segmental cooperating member as a whole, and slightly depressing the spring 49. "As the bunch rolls down between the two surfaces, the leverage decreases and when it reaches a point directly over-the pintle 29, the thrust of the spring is direct and the diametrical compression of the bunch is then greater than at the time when the bunch is introduced between the cooperating surfaces. This increase in compression takes place gradually and progressively and reaches its maximum when the bunch is atv the point directly over the pintle 29. From this point to the delivery end of the space between the rolling surfaces, the pressure gradually decreases and the segmental cooperating member rocks in the other direction. It will thus be scen'that the pressure exerted upon the bunch is a fluctuating pressure gradually increasing and then gradually decreasing. This has been found to be highly advantageous in manipulating a bunch to secure an even distribution of the filler tobacco within the binder.

- \Vhat is claimed is:

This tends to bination with a pair of bunch rolling members having oppositely disposed operating surfaces'spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a cigar bunch, of means for producing a relative movement of said members whereby a bunch is rolled between said surfaces, 'a fluctuant mount for one of said members adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said surfaces, and means for introducing a cigar bunch between said members.

3. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a pair of bunch rolling members having oppositely disposed operating surfaces spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a cigar bunch, of means for producing a relative movement of sa1d members whereby a bunch 1s rolled between sald surfaces, a fluctuant mount for one of said members adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said surfaces, means for introducing a cigar bunch between said members, and means for transporting a bunch away from said members.

4:. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a pair of bunch rolling members. having oppositely 'disposed operating .su'rfaces spaced apart a distance less than bination with "a pair of bunch rolling members having oppositely disposed operating surfaces spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a cigar bunch, of means for producing a relative movement of said members whereby a bunch is rolled between said surfaces, a" fluctuant mount for one of said members adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said surfaces,

and a Chianti belt mechanism adapted to initially form a bunch and then to introduce it between said members.

6. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a=pair of bunch rolling members having oppositely disposed operating surfaces spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a cigar bunch, of means for producing a relative movement of said mem-' bers whereby a bunch is rolled between said surfaces, a fluctuant mount for one of said members adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said surfaces. a (hianti belt mechanism adapted to initially form a bunch and then to introduce it between said members, and a swinging carrier for transporting a bunch from said members.

7. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a pair of rolling members having oppositely disposed operating surfaces spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a bunch, of meansfor producing a relative movement of said members whereby a cigarbunch is rolled between said surfaces, a fluctuant mount for one of said members adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said surfaces. a Chianti belt mechanism adapted to initially form a bunch and then to introduce it between said members, a swinging carrier for transporting a bunch from said members,

and a stationary support to which the swinging carrier delivers bunches.

8. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a constantly moving bunch rolling member,-of a cooperating rolling member operative in fixed position and spaced from the moving member a distance less than the diameter of a bunch, and a fluctuant mount for the cooperating member adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said members.

9. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a constantly rotating bunch rolling drum, of a segmental cooperating bunch rolling member the operating surface of which is normally concentric with the operating surface of the drum and which is member being formed of two parts hinged together, and a fluctuant mount for the cooperating member adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said members. I

11. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a bunch rolling member, a cooperating bunch rolling member operative in fixed position and spaced from the moving member a distance less than the diameter of a bunch, and a fluctuant mount for the cooperating mem ber adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said members, said mount comprising operative connections and a spring pressed yoke carrying means for normally adjusting the relative positions of the members.

12. In a cigar bunch nuinipulator, the

constantly moving combination -with a constantly moving bunch rolling member, of a cooperating bunch rolling member operative in fixed position and spaced from the moving member' a fluctuant mount for the cooperating memher adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rollingbetween said members and comprising operating connections and a spring pressed yoke normally engaging the parts at and adjacent the hinge and provided with means for normally-adjusting the relative positions of said members.

13. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a constantly rotating bunch rolling drum, of a segmental cooperatingbunch rolling member the operating surface of which is normally concentric with the operating surface'of the drum and which is spaced from the drum a distance less than the diameter of a bunch, said segmental member being formed of two parts hinged together, adjustable means for supporting said segmental cooperating member at the hinge, and a fluctuant mount for the-cooperating member adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said members and comprising operating connections and a spring pressed yoke normally engaging the parts of the segmental member at.

and adjacent the hinge and provided with means for normally adjusting the relative positions of the drum and cooperating segmental member.

14. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a constantly rotating bunch rolling drum provided with a circumferential channel, of a segmental cooperating bunch rolling member the operating surface of which is normally concentric with the operating surface of the drum and which is spaced from the surface of the drum-a distance less than the diameter of a bunch, a fluctuant-mount for the segmental cooperating member adapted to be brought into action-by a bunch rolling between said members, and means for transporting a bunch away from the drum and cooperating member comprising operating connections and a bunch retaining finger adapted to I move into the channel of. the drum below the operating surface of said drum in order to engagethe under side of a bunch as it is rolled forward between the drum'and cooperating .segmental member.

15. In a cigar bunch manipulator, the combination with a constantly rotating bunch rolling drum, of a segmental cooperating bunch rolling member the operating surface of which is normally concentric with the operating surface of the drum and which is spaced from the surface of the drum a distance less than the diameter of a bunch, a fluctuant mount for thesegmental member adapted to be brought into action by a bunch rolling between said members, a spring detent carried by the segmental member and adapted to be moved out of the way by a bunch as it advances between the drum and segmental member and to snap in behind the bunch after the latter has passed said detent, and means for engaging the bunch just beyond the detent and for transporting it away from the drum and segmental member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VICTOR EMILIUS HANSEN. 

